Greetings clients and friends—

I had a great conversation the other day about that classic travel experience that I grew up with: the Road Trip. Every other summer we would pack the car and head to Minnesota to visit relatives; we would take a week to get there, spend a week or so there, and take maybe four days to get home. We would stop at Frontiertown in Montana, eat at “greasy spoon” restaurants, and mother would always insist on inspecting the motel room before we decided to stay the night. Does this ring any bells for you?!?

These days, I’m the one that does the driving, and I choose where we are going to stay and book them well in advance. I try to keep the driving time to under 6 hours, so that we have plenty of time to stop along the way at places that catch our eye: classic Americana like the giant ball of twine, the 50-foot Green Giant statue, a redwood tree you can drive your car thru, caves, beaches, local artists, whatever. 

I was saddened to learn that many Millennials have never experienced a road trip, and that a number of them who grew up in cities never learn to drive! That little piece of information is what inspired this particular newsletter, with the invitation: let us help you plan your next road trip!

A good one to start with is our on Pacific Coast Hwy 101, filled with beaches, history, small towns. The Avenue of the Giants parallels it in Northern California, and driving thru that redwood forest is breathtaking. Take a day or two in Sonoma County to enjoy the wineries, cross the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco, spend time in Big Sur. You can continue onward to Hollywood and the sights there, or perhaps turn inland and visit the sequoias in Kings Canyon and the peerless Yosemite National Park.

Or perhaps Ireland is more your style! Dublin, castles, pubs, the Ring of Kerry, Skellig Michael, Giants Causeway. Italy, anyone? The train from Rome to Venice takes just a few hours, but you would miss the gorgeous Chianti countryside, along with all the vineyards, olive groves, hill towns and history.

And really the only way to appreciate New Zealand is to drive thru it. It is quite reasonable to rent a campervan and tour the entire country, hooking up at one of the many well-appointed campgrounds each night. Or just get in a car and hop from luxury lodge to cozy B&B.

The best thing is that we can help you plan it all! We can find the perfect places to stay, and help you map out your route so you aren't spending too much time in the car. We can often put you in touch with local hosts or classes or tours as well so that you can get the travel experience you are dreaming of!

Wherever you go, remember one important rule: STOP. Stop at the fruit stand, the tiny town, the gorgeous beach. Take the interesting side road to see where it leads. Be in the moment, and enjoy it.

We look forward to hearing from you soon! Our number is 425-827-5656 or you can simply reply to this email.

Sincerely,

Anita Bornemann, Owner

Professional Travel Service, Inc.

Kirkland, WA

Newsletter archive

Follow us on Facebook

Please visit our website  to get some trip ideas!

Wine Tours in Italy

Drive from resort to resort, enjoying the best of Italian cuisine and wine from experienced hosts.

More information...

Looking for something specific? Please click the below button to answer a few short questions and one of our agents will contact you as soon as possible.